Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The Latest from Iran

According to this report, there have been more than 200 arrests and an escalation of violence by both police and protesters on university campuses across the country.

Places of higher learning are often critical spaces of contention. In 1968, antiwar protests broke out on campuses in the U.S. and elsewhere. In recent decades, however, campuses have been much quieter. There are a number of reasons for this, including the widespread use of campus management systems (permit requirements, zones, etc.) that control public speech and assembly and student apathy. Still, as noted in previous posts, students on some campuses still occasionally engage in mass protests and disruptive behavior (sit-ins). Even today, campuses are potential incubators of public contention and dissent.